There are two camps of cleansers in the curly world: those who shampoo and those who cowash (washing hair with a conditioner”>.
No matter your method, it is extremely important to cleanse the scalp properly because over time, hair follicles acquire dirt caused by climatic debris and hair product build-up.
Neglecting to properly cleanse hair follicles can result in hair loss, redness, dryness, and an itching scalp.
Here are a few frequently asked questions – and their answers – for co-washers and shampoo-ers, and a few of our favorite cleansing products!
Co-Washing Tips:
- Depending on the texture, porosity, and thickness of your hair, it is not always necessary to condition wash your hair daily.
- Stay away from silicones in products. They’re more difficult to wash out of hair since they’re not water soluble. Beware of any ingredient on a bottle ending in ‘cone’.
- Check that your conditioner contains emollients, protein, and humectants. Emollients add shine to dull hair, protein repairs fragile curls, and humectants lock moisture into hair.
- Be sure to stimulate the scalp to loosen dirt from the hair follicles.
- People who have skin conditions like dermatitis shouldn’t rely on cowashing, because this could actually backfire and make the condition worse.
Popular cowashes:
Wavy Hair
Curly Hair
Coily Hair
Shampoo Tips:
- Since wavy, curly, and coily tresses tend to dry easier than straight hair, try using a gentle shampoo.
- For those with oily hair, shampooing might be a better option than cowashing, since they are strong enough to remove excess oil build-up.
- Most shampoos have a low pH that many cleansing conditioners simply do not. This means that without shampoo, the hair cuticle may not be raised enough to properly release dirt from the scalp.
- Clarifying sulfate-free shampoos do exist. Luckily nowadays, they aren’t difficult to find. Especially necessary for an itchy scalp (this usually means it is unclean”>.